The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1887-12-02
a CO-OPERATIvE FARM.
The Experiment Which Lord Spencer Is Try
ing at Harieston.

London Daily News.
The admirable scheme under which Lord
Spencer Is attempting to work what Is called
the Harleston cooperative farm deserves to be
widely known as an honest attempt to solve at
stroke several of the great agricultural queS-
tons of the day. Since 1885, Lord Spencer has
occupied nominal tenant the Glebe farm at
Harleston. which contains some 296 of
land. of which rather more than half is arabic
land. The farm is worked by eight laborers,
called the co-operatorS, who have only the legal
status of men hired for the week, but who are
provided by the scheme with many of the privi-
Ieges of proprietors, subject to their indus
try and good behavior, The farm is conducted
by manager appointed by Lord Spencer, who
is bound to consult the wishes and opinions of
the oo-operaters, as expressed by a committee
of two of their Numbered annually elected by bal
lot. The accounts are kept by secretary ap-
Spencers veto. But while the manager is TO
share IN the privileges awarded to the laborers
and has not only the right of voting but of even
giving a casting vote. the secretary only
offer his advice. His functions are to preside at
meetings and to act as treasurer. Every year.
as SON may be after the 2lst of March, a
complete valuation of the farm, the buildings,
machinery and crops Is made in order to obtain
an accurate balance sheet from which the
profit or loss in each year may be seen. The
expenditure is to include wages for the co opera
tors and manager. rent and rates and taxes,
and per cent on the capital employed. This
capital has been supplied by Lord Spencer and
amounts to 93. 900. The net profits. if any, are
to be divided into two portions, three-quarters
going to form reserve fund and one quarter to
a divisible-profts fund, which is to be divided
among the co-operators, the manager. counting
one of them. The object of the reserve fund
is to pay OFF the original capital lent by Lord
Spencer, and to secure upon which to fall
back in time of need If any years Operations
result in a lossf the divisibie profits fund is
thenceforth to be paid to the reserve until the
loss has been made good. Finally, every fifth
year the interest which each co-operator has in
the concern is to be estimated and he is to be
entitled to receive its value
Such is brief outline of a scheme which in
its admirable purpose recalls the Vandeleur
pertinent at Ralahlne, and the successful effort
at Assinston. Lord Spencer has wisely kept
the whole scheme under his control for the
present, but with the liberal provision that when
the capital is repaid the powers the scheme
gives him shall cease and the co-operators
themselves may become tenants of the farm and
'thenceforth have sole control of their own af-
fairs The first year ended last Lady Day and
shows an actual loss of 92O7, no less than G127
of which due to the death of one young
horse and fall in value of others, Lord Spen-
and Rev. W. Bury, who has acted as secre-
tary, report that latter one of the worst years
that farmers have ever known, this loss is not
great might have been anticipated" 1t
must be remembered that it is not loss on the
mere working of the farm Rent, 8410. and
rates and taxes. E66 were paid, so that in
this bad year the land yielded more than half
the rent. The spring of 1856 was bad one,
and when the farm taken much of the land
was in very foul condition. The foulness of
of the land caused complete failure OF seven
acres of wheat, while another seven acres failed
for being sown to late. What with impover-
ished pasture weedy arabic and the generally
neglected state of the land, the co-operators be-
gan with the certainty that they cou Id make no
profit. However they have worked well and
tremendously, and have reaped the substantial
benefit of constant employment; and though
their wages were only IA shillings week this is
rather higher rate than can be usually obtained
in the district. This year they start in a
better position. Last years work and outlay
will tell. They now have well MANFRED soil
and clean fields They are familiar with the
land and should know better how to meet all
the varied circumstances they may be called up
to face. 1t will be interesting to watch the
experiment and to learn whether the hopes of
Lord Spencer and Rev. William Bury will be
fulfilled 1t is another attempt at the creation
of sort of modified peasant proprietorship, hav-
ing the merit of giving the actual tillers of the
soil personal interest in their work without the
disadvantages which are the inevitable concomit
ants OF very small holdings.